<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A gentle hand by InkkEmulsion</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601109">A gentle hand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkkEmulsion/pseuds/InkkEmulsion'>InkkEmulsion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Apex Legends [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Apex Legends (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Peeps on tumblr requested it so here it is, and many many cute moments, and maybe some thirst peppered in, part one at least, prepare for fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601109</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkkEmulsion/pseuds/InkkEmulsion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You've been crushing on the new mecha legend for awhile now, his impressive arrival into the games and the first half of the season giving something nobody could scoff at. But what kind of robot wears clothes??? At least... You think he's a robot.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Access / Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Apex Legends [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1338685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A gentle hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Refs of what my boi looks like! </p><p>
  <a href="https://ibb.co/ZgD8jnc">
    
  </a>
</p><p>
  <a href="https://ibb.co/SwY7Cj7"></a>
  
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things had been going well. The team collectively had racked up at least 2 kills each but out in the middle of no man’s land between Relay and Wetlands was not a good place to be as a new squad approached. Gibraltar was out in full force today, providing the cover fire of sniper rounds while the rest of you caught up. Your second teammate ran in the back, absorbing any stray bullets that did happen to aim true with his EVO shield with a grunt.</p><p>Access he called himself, and for good reason. Built like a tank, he was the worst person to come up against when in close quarters combat. His melee did more damage than everyone and being so strong doors only took one kick, granting him ‘access’ whenever he so desired.</p><p>Being a robot had its perks you supposed; wheezing as you finally crossed the worst of the stretch and made it into the ring up in Relay. Nobody has the title ‘the Unrelenting Powerhouse’ for nothing after all. Claiming a building closer towards the tower you took the chance to take stock of your inventory, Access sliding in not long after with Gibraltar holding down the rooftop.</p><p>No meds, but shield cells for days. Typical.</p><p>Everyone takes a moment to breathe while they replenish what they can, yourself taking just a second to catch your breath. Access glances at you from his spot behind some crates (or what counts as a glance for him), looking away just as fast the moment you caught him looking.</p><p>He was wearing his usual attire today, dark oversized coat and ‘skintight’ pants covered at the top by shorts. Neon yellow gun harnesses for holsters and pouches hung from what you presumed were his belt, a large duffle bag on his back serving as his backpack. His getup could be described as ‘athletic for a parkour enthusiast’, if you had to summarise. Only his hands and ...Head? You guessed with pursed lips could be seen unclothed, the large fuel injector tubing from the back of his rather polygonal helm visible before it dipped into the collar of the coat. His helm was nothing but sharp lines, no eyes to be seen and bright magenta lights glimmering along seams and tubing. He was... Handsome. In a very abstract way. The whole design made no sense- the muscles of a greek god but a head designed to be as far from human as possible.</p><p>Just who made him? And why like that?</p><p>Part of you also wondered just what he looked like under all those thick clothes besides just being shirtless (because you knew enough about that to fantasise). You could tell he was human shaped at the very least. The coat didn’t quite hide everything as Access moved in battle but another part of you wanted to ask why even wear clothes at all. None of the other death game’s robotic residents did. Was he a simulacra? Simply just shy? So many questions and barely any answers. He barely spoke to anybody other than that one blue haired weirdo that had a grudge against Crypto and the blonde chick that stopped by the dorms every so often to visit said blue haired weirdo.</p><p>When Access did speak though... It was so soft you felt yourself melt. It had a subtle harmonic and reverb to it, but it was pleasant to the ears, so much so that you wished he spoke more often. It was the voice out of everything that made you realise that maybe... Just maybe you had a thing for him.</p><p>A little bit. Just a smidgen tiny amount.</p><p>Which SUCKED because this wasn’t even his second full season yet, it was his first! The mech hadn’t even been here for more than a couple months and he’d already become a distraction for you. You really didn’t mean to start liking him but well- it was hard not to. You’d seen in him action and goddamn if Access decimating entire squads to come save you wasn’t hot enough, he was also not exactly hard to look at.</p><p>‘Note to self, examine kinks further. Apparently I forgot to add robofucker to the list’.</p><p>You’d caught a few glances at him shirtless once or twice, late at night when everyone was usually asleep. Most of his armour was very humanoid looking in terms of shape, black in colour complimented by more of those magenta lights. Bodybuilders would weep at his permanently maintained form that’s for sure, pausing in your midnight walk to get some air to observe the kitchen from a distance as Access chatted with that blue haired hacker guy he was friends with. Apparently the chick was there too, judging by the voices floating from the room.</p><p>Access was... Making coffee for some reason. Diligently waiting for the coffee drip to work while the others conversed, adding into the conversation when he felt like it. It was weirdly cute, seeing such a powerful being daintily hand over cups of coffee to the grateful recipients before crossing his arms, leaning back against the countertop and quietly listening to the rest of the chatter. </p><p>“No Polaris, you can’t snort caffeine powder with Octane tomorrow, even if it would be for charity,” the girl scolds him, clipping the hacker’s ear which earned her a whiny yelp. “...Go with the Rev prank instead. I wanna see you outclimb that spider bastard.”</p><p>The laughter fades as you back away, feeling like you walked in on an intimate moment. They all seemed so close; close enough for the usually mysterious ‘powerhouse’ to feel at ease and talk freely which seemed to be a rarity and you knew it. </p><p>The second time you saw him was when he was fighting with Bangalore. Just clad in a simple pair of sweats and barefoot on the mats that cushioned falls, they circled each other arms raised, waiting for the other to strike. Practicing hand to hand it seemed, and Bangalore was feeling particularly lucky that afternoon. She seemed so small next to Access despite being powerful and strong in her own way, the two trading blows and taking turns going on the attack. Despite the immense difference, the two held their own against the other, figuring out ways to come out on top and win their little sparring match while exchanging friendly banter the whole time. An unexpected hook to the leg and a firm downwards push after her missed attack however had Bangalore pressed to the ground in a submission hold that not even she could break out of. It was so swift and gracefully executed that if you blinked you would of missed the whole movement.</p><p>“Hah! Nice job big guy. I yield- I know how nasty your grip can get and i’d like to keep my arms unbroken for the match tomorrow.” Bangalore pats his shoulder when Access releases and helps her up, hands going to his pockets as a subconscious action. </p><p>“Damn I’ll feel those punches later,” the soldier laughs, rolling her arms and neck with a groan. A soft laugh follows them as they walk back towards the changing rooms. “You should know better than to offer full contact sparring before a match the day after. Ice usually helps, or so i’m told.”</p><p>A touch to your shoulder makes you jump nearly out of your skin, a yelp barely muffled, bringing you back to the situation at hand. The person or robot you’d been daydreaming about was now crouched by your spot next to the window, a medkit being gently pushed into your hands. You couldn’t help but notice how small you seemed next to him as well, his gaze lingering just a little before looking over to the entry of Relay. Nobody around just yet, thank god. You must have been excellent sniper fodder for at least a few minutes there, you were lucky nobody had seen you just sitting there deep in thought. Mistakes like that were lethal and no mercy was given in this particular arena.</p><p>“You weren’t healing. You’ll need it for the fight ahead,” he murmurs, already looking down the sights of his Sentinel. Idly you noticed his lights pulsed brighter in waves as you accepted his gift with shy thanks and hastily putting it to good use. He wasn’t wrong though you’d absolutely need the health. You could already hear the wingman shots in the distance.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>